Apros

Aprus or Apri, or in Greek Apros or Aproi (Ancient Greek: Ἄπρος, Ἄπροι) was a Roman city established in the Roman province of Europa. It was probably situated where the modern Turkish village of Kermeyan now stands.[1] The former archbishopric was a double Catholic titular archbishporic - under the name Theodosiopolis ante Apri it was the only Bulgarian Catholic titular see, but has been suppressed as such, yet it remains a Latin titular see as Aprus.

History

The city was founded as Colonia Claudia Aprensis in the mid-1st century AD, probably in connection with the emperor Claudius's annexation of Thracia, and was intended for retired members of the Roman military. It was situated on the Via Egnatia that ran from the Adriatic coast in the province of Illyricum to Byzantium, the city that was to become Constantinople.[1][2]

In the 4th century, Aprus was the principal city of the region southwest of Heraclea, the capital of the province.

The city was called Theodosiopolis in documents of the 6th century,[3] in honour of Theodosius II, emperor from 401 to 450, or of Theodosius I (347–395).

After the capture of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade, the Latin Empire made Theodore Branas (called Li Vernas by Geoffroi de Villehardouin) lord of Apros. In 1206, Tsar Kaloyan of Bulgaria destroyed the city, but Branas rebuilt it.

In the Battle of Apros of July 1305, the Catalan Company annihilated the Byzantine imperial army under Michael IX Palaiologos.

Ecclesiastical history

Archbishopric

In a Notitia Episcopatuum of about 640, the bishopric appears as an autocephalous archdiocese and as the 22nd in order of precedence among 34 sees dependent upon the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Perhaps due to error, it is missing from the next such document, composed at the start of the 10th century, but reappears in the middle of the same century. In the 15th century it was dropped from the official lists of the dioceses dependent on the Patriarchate of Constantinople.[3][4]

No longer a residential diocese, it has been listed by the Catholic Church as a double titular see, but remains only Latin[5]

Latin titular see

No later then 1848, the diocese was nominally restored as a Latin Episcopal as Titular bishopric under the names of Theodosiopolis (Latin) / Teodosiopoli (Curiate Italian) / Apri / Apros / Aprus.

It was repeatedly renamed : in 1926 as Titular Episcopal See of Theodosiopolis (Latin) / Teodosiopoli d’Europa (Italian) / Apri / Apros / Aprus; in 1929 as Titular Episcopal See of Theodosiopolis (Latin) / Teodosiopoli di Frigia (Italian) and in 1930 as Titular Episcopal See of Theodosiopolis (Latin) / Teodosiopoli d’Europa (Italian) / Apri / Apros / Aprus.

In 1931 it was suppressed, having had the following incumbents, however none of the then fitting Episcopal (lowest) rank, all of the higher (and present) Archiepiscopal (intermediary) rank  :

In 1933 however, it was restored, renamed and promoted as Titular archbishopric of Aprus (Latin) / Apro (Italian) / Apren(sis) (Latin adjective).

It is vacant since decaces, having had the following incumbents, so far of the now fitting Archiepiscopal (intermediary) rank ;

Bulgarian Catholic titular see

No later then 1907, it was also and separately restored as the only-ever titular see of the particular Bulgarian Byzantine Catholic Church (Bulgarian Catholics of the Byzantine Rite) as Titular archbishopric of Theodosiopolis ante Apri (Latin) / Teodosiopoli (Curiate Italian).

In 1924 it was suppressed, having had a single incumbent of the fitting Archiepiscopal (intermediary) rank :

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Apri: Village de Kermeyan
  2. ↑ UNRV History: Thracia
  3. 1 2 Michel Lequien, Oriens christianus in quatuor Patriarchatus digestus, Paris 1740, Vol. I, coll. 1125-1128
  4. ↑ Pius Bonifacius Gams, Series episcoporum Ecclesiae Catholicae, Leipzig 1931, p. 427
  5. ↑ Annuario Pontificio 2013 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 2013 ISBN 978-88-209-9070-1), p. 836

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